Fluorescent lamp holder



p 1941- A. e. MUELLER ET L 2,254,706

' FLUORESCENT LAMP HOLDER Filed Dec. 10, 1940 Fig.1.

by WW6? 49% The I1 Attof-ney,

' Patented Sept. .2, 1941 V Adolf G. Mueller and John M. Pistey Conm, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation or New York Application December 10, 1940, Serial No. 369,4ld

1 Claim.

Our invention relates to lampholders and more particularly to lampholders of the type adapted to support tubular electric lamps, for example, fluorescent lamps of the type now in commercial use improved form of lampholder for fluorescent lamps which is particularly adapted to support the lamp while the lampholder is in inverted position.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a locking means for securing a tubular electrio lamp on a lampholder so arranged that there is no danger of the lamp becoming inadvertently dislodged therefrom'by jars or vibrations.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. l is a view showing a tubular lamp locked in position on lampholders mounted in inverted position; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lamphoider and locking means; Fig. 3 is a side view of the lampholder 'and locking means showing a lamp in position,

and Fig. 4 15's. perspective view of the locking means. 7 l

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a tubular fluorescent lamp i8 supported at each end by a lampholder' H secured to a supporting surface i2 which may form part of a reflector surface. The lampholders H are illustrated, by way of example, as of the type described in a copending application of Frank C. De Reamer and vAdolf G. Mueller, Serial No. 274,202, flled May 17, 1939, assigned to the same assignee as the instant application. I

This lampholder includes a body of insulating material formed in one face thereof with spaced parallel slots it which extend to an edge of the body to receive the spaced prongs of a fluorescent lamp. Within the slots 13 are disposed contact members I 4 which support the lamp on the lampholder and makeelectrical contact therewith. Electrical connection between the wiring system and the contact members It is effected by means of terminal screws 15. The outer ends of the contact members H are provided with curved surfaces which closely engage the contact pins of the lamp and hold them in seated position within the slots l8.

As long as the lampholders are mounted in upright position on a support, such as a reflecting surface, there is no question but that the curved ends of the contact members I will maintain the prongs of the fluorescent lamp within the slots so that the fluorescent lamp is securely mounted in position. In some cases, however, it

It is an object of our invention to provide an b of the iampholder body.

position; for example, when the lamps are suspended from. the ceiling of a room. This is the arrangement shown by Fig. 1. Usually, in such situations the spring-biasing action of the curved 5 ends of the contact members it is sufficient to prevent the lamp from falling out of the lampholder. However, it the lighting fixture is placed in a position where it is likely to be subjected to ars or vibrations, additional means may be necessary to lock the ends of the lamp within the holders.

To this end, we provide a locking arrangement which, in the instant case, comprises a loop or ball of wire H which pames around the outer 15 periphery of the lamp and secures it in position The ends 18 of the bail ex- 0n the lampholder. tend laterally backwardly from the looped portion from. the point at which they engage the periphery of the lamp to a point adjacent the 20' body of the lampholder where their ends are bent inwardly, as shown at l8, to form pivots which are positioned within recesses 20 formed inopposite side walls of the lampholder. The laterally extending opposite ends iii of the bail rest in grooves 2! formed in the side .walls of the holder adjacent the recesses 20. The loop I! is spring biased so that the lateral portions l8 nor-'-' mally rest in the grooves 2! to hold thelocking means in position with the loop engaging the perimeter of the lamp.

In order to release the hail from engagement with the lamp, the opposite lateral ends I8 are flexed or sprung outwardly to release them from engagement with the grooves 2! so that the bail may be swung downwardly about the pivots it out of the plane of the lamp to permit the lamp to be released from the lampholder.

Our invention provides an eilicient and eilective manner of looking a lamp in position on the lampholders so that there is absolutely no danger of the lamp becoming accidentally dislodged therefrom.- The arrangement is one which may be applied to lampholders mounting the lamp in a manner other than by seating of the lamp prongs in parallel slots. No structural changes in the interior of the lampholder are necessary to utilize our invention; it is simply necessary to mount the lamp in position on the interior The curved ball I! follows the contour of the lamp and presents an appearance which is pleasing and which does not interfere with the lighting efllciency of the lamp since it is disposed at the ends of the lamp immeis desirable to mount the lampholders in inverted'co diately a jacent the holders.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 0! the United States is:

In combination, a'lamp holder having a body provided with spaced contact members !or engaging the spaced contact prongs o! a fluorescent lamp, and a bail having opposite ends pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the body of the lamp holder and having a portion adapted to extend over and engage the. outer periphery of the lamp for retaining it in -position on the lamp holder, the opposite sides of the body being formed with grooves and the opposite ends of the bail being spring biased into seated position in said grooves to hold the bail in lamp engaging position.

ADOLF 0.

JOHN MJPIBTEY. 

